Soloshipping
by Arcion
Summary: Birthday Fic for Lyra, an original ship AJDuplica The start of a relationship


"Don't feel bad. Ash didn't win the first time he came here either." The voice that went with the hand on his shoulder told him.  
  
AJ smiled and turned around to face Duplica, his girlfriend. "I know, I just thought Sandshrew was undefeatable after winning one hundred matches and all the gym leaders without a single defeat." He answered.  
  
"Do you plan on traveling to Johto now?" She asked him.  
  
AJ shook his head. "No, I think I'll just stick with Kanto for now, train Sandshrew more. Maybe give these guys some more battling practice." He said, pulling away his jacket to reveal the five Pokèballs that rested on his belt.  
  
Duplica pushed the flap of his jacket back into place and sighed. "I don't think you even need to train any of your Pokèmon anymore. The only reason Sandshrew was defeated was because that Beedrill managed to poison him before he could roll up and get away."  
  
"Thanks. But I really should have trained Beedrill and Butterfree better in case something happened to Sandshrew." AJ answered. "Isn't the healing supposed to be done by now?" He added worriedly.  
  
"Sit." Duplica ordered. "I'll be a bit longer than usual since she has to heal the poison and the normal exhaustion. It'll be harder since it's been longer than more trainers wait before healing it." She explained.  
  
"Ditto." Her Ditto agreed as it exited the center where it had been healing.  
  
AJ smiled as the blob changed into Sandshrew from memory from all the battles the two had had as they traveled together.  
  
********  
  
"The next badge is in Celadon City. You up to the challenge of grass type Pokèmon, Sandshrew?" AJ asked his Pokèmon as they exited the Saffron gym.  
  
"Shrew." The Pokèmon agreed.  
  
The two traveled along happily until they noticed the sky clouding up.  
  
"Come on Sandshrew, we'd better get the tent up before it starts raining." AJ told his friend.  
  
"Shrew sand." Sandshrew agreed and started running towards a stand of trees.  
  
They arrived and set up the tent in the light drizzle that was the calm before the storm they could both tell was coming, and even though Sandshrew was rather resistant to water, he didn't want to stay out in it.  
  
With the help of Rattata and Beedrill, it was finished quickly and AJ released his Pokèmon to join them inside.  
  
"You hear that?" He asked Sandshrew as the sound of someone splashing through the mud came through over the rain.  
  
"Shrew."  
  
"They're coming closer, I'll take a look." He stuck his head out the tent flap and winced as the girl called out to him.  
  
"Hey." She shouted. She ran to the front of the tent and paused to regain her breath and set down her pink umbrella, which immediately changed into a Ditto. "May I?" She asked politely.  
  
AJ nodded and pulled his head back and returned all but Sandshrew to their Pokèballs to give her room. She entered and tried to wring out her hair as Ditto shook dog-like, showering him with droplets. "Ditto." She called sharply and the pink blob stopped immediately. "Sorry about that."  
  
"No problem, I'm already a little wet. More won't make a difference." He answered.  
  
"But your Pokèmon. Ground types are weakened by water." She explained.  
  
AJ laughed. "My Sandshrew isn't affected like that. He used to train by diving into a pool."  
  
The girl gasped before replacing her expression with a grin. "Then how about we have a battle once it stops raining." She suggested. "Since Sandshrew won't be affected by the wet ground."  
  
"Sure." He answered. "How many in a row will this make Sandshrew. I lost count back around Cerulean."  
  
"Sand." The mouse answered.  
  
"Oh well, over two hundred somewhere." He answered smugly.  
  
Duplica glanced at Ditto with a smirk. "Well, we'll just have to break that streak." She answered just as smugly.  
  
"You're not the first to think you'll break our streak."  
  
"Oh?" She questioned. "But we'll be the first to do it. By the way, my name's Duplica."  
  
"Mine's AJ." He answered and leaned back against the tree the canvas was set up against.  
  
Duplica tried to duplicate his feat, thinking he was leaning against only the tent wall, and fell over, nearly pulling the tent with her until AJ pulled her back. "There." He told her, pointing to another spot along the canvas.  
  
"Thanks." She answered as she leaned against the tree behind where he'd pointed. Ditto climbed into her lap and other conversation between them stopped as she talked softly to Ditto and AJ headed off into daydreams of becoming the Pokèmon master.  
  
*****  
  
"Sandshrew, would you go out and check if it's still raining?" AJ asked the next morning.  
  
"Sand." He answered and stepped out of the tent.  
  
AJ looked over the girl beside him as he awaited Sandshrew's answer. She was cute, but he had to concentrate on his training right now. He was brought out of his thoughts when Sandshrew came back, confirming that the rain had indeed stopped.  
  
"Thanks Sandshrew." He answered his Pokèmon. "Uh, how should I go about waking her?"  
  
"Shrew." Sandshrew answered.  
  
AJ looked incredulously at his Pokèmon. "I don't think she'd appreciate being woken like that." He told the mouse.  
  
"Shrew sandshrew shrew." He answered.  
  
AJ leaned over Duplica and noticed her hugging her Ditto. "Like a teddy bear." He muttered as he placed his hand on her shoulder to shake her lightly.  
  
"Dit." Ditto yawned. Duplica followed it in yawning and stretching as they woke.  
  
"The rain has stopped." AJ told her.  
  
Duplica jumped and dove back into the sleeping bag she'd borrowed from him last night. "Oops. Sorry." She apologized and climbed back out of the bag.  
  
"That's fine, just be glad I didn't take Sandshrew's suggestion for getting you up." AJ laughed.  
  
"Do I want to know?" She questioned as she brushed out the nights knots. AJ shook his head. "Then I won't ask. How about we battle, then pick up camp and head to town. Since you'll need to heal Sandshrew." She added snidely.  
  
"Right, one of our Pokèmon will need to be healed anyway." AJ answered and moved outside. She and Ditto followed and the four quickly prepared to battle.  
  
"Sandshrew, scratch to start off." AJ ordered.  
  
"Ditto, transform and curl." Duplica answered.  
  
Ditto reformed and closed just as Sandshrew connected, causing him to be caught in the copy's grasp.  
  
"Ditto, jump and use seismic toss." Duplica called.  
  
"Dig into the ground." AJ answered as he turned and dug in his backpack.  
  
"Ditto, follow it." She ordered. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Giving me an edge." He answered, pulling his whip out.  
  
"You hit your Pokèmon?" She asked.  
  
"Of course not. And before you ask, I won't hit Ditto either. Sandshrew!" He called and cracked the whip. The mole leapt out of the hole, Ditto in its grasp. "Good job. Tackle it now."  
  
"Ditto." Duplica called.  
  
"Don't worry, because of Sandshrew's tough skin, this is gonna be a long battle. Maybe." AJ taunted as he cracked his whip again.  
  
"Ditto. You know what he wants, come up with your own plan." Duplica yelled as Sandshrew dug underground again.  
  
The two Pokèmon continually dug underground and came up to tackle each other until finally, both came above ground and collapsed.  
  
"Sandshrew?" AJ asked as Duplica asked the same of her Ditto as it transformed back.  
  
"Looks like our Pokèmon are evenly matched." She offered as they moved to pick up their friends.  
  
"You realizing that Ditto would understand what I was commanding with the whip won it for you." AJ admired.  
  
"Thanks, lets head back to town and get our Pokèmon healed."  
  
"And we'll have to have a rematch." He answered with a grin.  
  
"If you want."  
  
The two spent the rest of the day talking as they walked and got their Pokèmon refreshed.  
  
From that battle, and the one they fought once they arrived back at Duplica's, the four decided to travel together. Duplica would always put on a show for any town they entered as AJ would battle the local trainers who all thought they could easily defeat his Sandshrew. Duplica would occasionally challenge AJ again, but no matter how hard Sandshrew had been trained, the two Pokèmon would always faint together, from exhaustion.  
  
******  
  
"Come on. Ditto says the Fuscia gym is right over this hill." Duplica called to AJ and Sandshrew behind her.  
  
"Isn't that what she said about the last bunch of hills?" He muttered to his Pokèmon.  
  
"Sand." Sandshrew replied.  
  
"Come on you two, we're there." Duplica called again.  
  
The two joined her at the top of the hill and cried out as they saw the rooftop of the gym they had seen pictures of back in town.  
  
"You found it." AJ called as he wrapped Duplica in a hug and flung her in a circle. Duplica blushed when he stopped and moved his face closer to hers and yelped as he dropped her without warning.  
  
"What was that for?" She yelled at him.  
  
"Sorry, I got excited." He called back as he and Sandshrew ran down the hill to the gym.  
  
Duplica huffed in annoyance and picked herself up. "Men." She told Ditto. She turned to follow AJ. "Where'd he go?" She asked it.  
  
"Dit." The blob answered and started to head in the same direction the guys had.  
  
"Wait up." She called it with a sigh. She saw the hole before her Pokèmon and smiled. She walked up and grinned down at AJ and Sandshrew lying at the bottom. "Tut tut. See where rushing gets you." She teased.  
  
"Yea, thanks. Now can you help us out of here?" He answered.  
  
"Why not just have Sandshrew dig you a tunnel?" She teased again.  
  
"You don't think I thought of that?" He growled. "Sandshrew can't dig through the dirt for some reason."  
  
"That's right boy." a voice called.  
  
Duplica turned and nearly stumbled back into the hole on top of AJ. "Team Rocket?" She questioned.  
  
"How did you know?" Two people, clad in black uniforms bearing the red 'R' of Team Rocket.  
  
"I've dealt with you before." She answered. "Jessie and James."  
  
The pair laughed. "Those two? You barely scratched the surface of Team Rocket if you've only dealt with those two loosers."  
  
"Then who are you?" AJ called from the hole.  
  
"I'm Rylie."  
  
"And I'm Steven." They growled. "And we're here for your Sandshrew boy."  
  
"You're not getting him." Duplica yelled back.  
  
"You should let him decide that darling." Rylie answered.  
  
"We're lowering a tray for you to put Sandshrew on boy, you give us the Pokèmon, you and your girlfriend can go free." Steven called down to AJ.  
  
AJ whispered something into Sandshrew's ear and placed him on the platform. "He's on." He called up.  
  
"You're not really giving them what they want?" Duplica yelled at him. She began quivering with anger as he simply stood there while Steven pulled the tray back. "If you won't defend Sandshrew, I will." She screamed as the mole's head appeared over the side. She dove towards him, dodging Rylie's tossed Pokèball.  
  
She knocked him off and landed on top of both Pokèmon. She heard a slight whispering and the sound of Ditto transforming and jumped back. Before her stood two Sandshrew and even she had trouble telling them apart. She tossed a grin back at AJ and he called back to her. "That was the plan."  
  
"Ash and I did the same thing." She called back and turned to notice that Steven had released a Houndoom, who stood next to Rylie's Croconaw.  
  
"That's fine, Ditto will still be weak to water." Rylie told them. When Duplica's smirk stayed in place she grew angry. "Croconaw, hydro pump. Knock Sandshrew into the cage and blast the weak one back into the pit."  
  
"Sandshrew, Dig underground." Duplica ordered. Both the original and Ditto burrowed and AJ could hear them trying to break through the walls of his enclosure.  
  
"Houndoom, burn them both out." Steven ordered.  
  
Houndoom stepped to one of the holes and fired a stream of flames down it.  
  
"Croconaw, fill the other hole with water. Even ground Pokèmon have to breathe." Rylie called.  
  
Duplica and AJ shared a worried glance as both Pokèmon filled their tunnels.  
  
"Fine." AJ called. "Stop and I'll order Sandshrew to come out."  
  
The two shared a smirk and stopped their Pokèmon and lowered a rope for AJ to climb.  
  
"You're not going to." Duplica whispered as she helped him up.  
  
"I don't have a choice. She's right and either way both Pokèmon would have to surface." AJ told her. He squeezed her arm slightly and walked over to the holes. "Sandshrew, come on."  
  
He turned when Duplica cried out and saw Rylie holding her arm tightly. "What are you doing?" He yelled.  
  
"Simple, you didn't give us Sandshrew, so you and your girlfriend are our prisoners." She answered.  
  
"But I'm giving you Sandshrew. And she's not my girlfriend." He protested.  
  
"Two people traveling together, but only one is collecting badges. Sounds like she is." Rylie teased.  
  
"And I wouldn't try to escape. These Pokèmon may not have won as many battles, but I assure you they are more than powerful enough to take out your Sandshrew." Steven taunted.  
  
AJ conceded as the Sandshrews surfaced and were captured within the Rocket's Pokèballs.  
  
*****  
  
"Damn." AJ cursed for the, who knows how manyth, time since they were thrown into their cells in TR headquarters.  
  
"Stop beating yourself up over it. We tried everything we could." Duplica answered him.  
  
"But we couldn't stop these criminals from stealing our stuff." AJ yelled back.  
  
"If you're angry with yourself, don't take it out on me." She answered. Her voice fell as the statement continued and AJ immediately felt bad.  
  
"Sometimes I'm grateful for them putting us in different cells." He whispered. Every time this conversation happened, he found himself wanting to comfort her, then blushing as the thought clarified.  
  
"Duplica." He sighed. "I'm sorry." He stuck his arm through the bars that were closest to her's. "Can you see my hand?"  
  
"Yes." She sniffed and gripped it.  
  
"Duplica, we'll get our Pokèmon back. I promise." He told her. He sighed and realized there was something else. "Plica." He said, smiling when she giggled at the nickname. "I love you." He whispered.  
  
There was a long pause and only her hand gripping his discounted that she didn't like him. "'Plica." He called.  
  
"You mean it?" She whispered. He tugged lightly on her arm until their fist reached his bars.  
  
"Yes." He answered and pressed his lips to her finger. He heard her sob and nearly thought he had done something wrong.  
  
"AJ. I wish this wall weren't between us right now." She said after a moment. She tugged lightly on his hand and he moved their grip across to her bars, where she kissed his finger. "I love you too." She whispered.  
  
She released his hand and leaned back against the wall. "You know, this is just so clichéd."  
  
"Yea." He answered with a chuckle. "But it's better than before."  
  
"That's true." She sighed. "I'm tired, keep watch and tell me if anything happens?" She asked.  
  
"I guess." AJ sighed as he grinned. "Sleep well."  
  
*******  
  
"Sand!" Called Sandshrew as he crashed into the doors.  
  
"Sandshrew." AJ asked in disbelief.  
  
"Sand, sandshrew." He answered. The mole dug a hole connecting AJ and Duplica's cells to the area just outside.  
  
"Where are the others." Duplica asked.  
  
"Ditto." Her Pokèmon called from the door.  
  
"What happened you two?" AJ asked as they rushed after the Pokèmon  
  
"Ditto." The blob called as the turned a corner directly into the middle of a battle between a Kadabra and an Ursaring.  
  
Ditto took a few moments to transform into the Kadabra and quickly gathered everyone together. "Kadabra." It said and the quartet teleported to the fields they had encountered the pair of Rylie and Steven.  
  
"Ditto." The Pokèmon called and leapt into Duplica's arms.  
  
"I missed you too." She giggled to the pink blob.  
  
AJ turned to Sandshrew. "You got free when those trainers attacked." He guessed and the mole confirmed. "Thanks for helping us get free." He told the Pokèmon.  
  
****  
  
"AJ." Duplica whispered. "Did you mean it?"  
  
"You mean back in the cell?" He teased. She looked hurt and he rested his arm around her shoulder. "Of course I did." He whispered and pulled her into a hug. She returned it and kissed his cheek as they separated. "I love you." He whispered again and she leaned against his side with a contented sigh.  
  
____________________  
  
( B-day fic for Lyra, with our (and I only say our because she came up with the pairing and together we came up with the name) shipping  
  
Please don't flame this simply for being different.  
  
The songs that inspired me to write this are as follows  
  
"Heaven" DJ Sammy, originally by Bryan Adams  
  
"Out of My Heart" BBMak 


End file.
